Make a To Do List
Now that you have a functioning calendar, it’s time to make a to do list. Here are some things to consider for your to do lists.
Make monthly, weekly, and daily lists. First write down all the things you need to get done this month. If any of them have deadlines, write those down too. Next take items from your monthly lists and divide them evenly into your weekly lists. Look at your calendar and decide which days you are going to work on your weekly lists and schedule them for daily lists.
Set Priorities. Beside each item on all three lists, assign a priority. Priority are as follows:
Urgent, Important: These items are important to you and your goals for life, and they are also urgent because of a time constraint. These are the things you will put at the top of your list.
Urgent, Not Important: These are the mundane things of life that are urgent but have no lasting value. They need to be done right away, but if you are not careful, they will consume your time. For instance, laundry has to be done or there will be no clean clothes. You have to drive to the bank to make a deposit or you can’t pay your bills.
Not Urgent, Important: These are sometimes the hardest to get done because the urgent things of life always push them out. Make sure to schedule time to do things that are important to reaching your goals but don’t have a deadline. You might want to give these things an arbitrary deadline to help you accomplish them.
Not Urgent, Not Important: These things go on the bottom of your list. If you have time, go ahead and do them, but if you don’t get to them, consider crossing them off your list.
Learn to say No! Remember that every time you say yes to somebody to do something, even if it is a good thing, you are saying no to the goals you have set for yourself and to the important items on your list. Don’t fill your to do lists with things that are important to others but not to you.
Schedule times each month, week, and day for planning. This is when you will work on your calendar and to do lists. It may seem like wasted time, but in truth, it will help you manage your time.
Set to do lists aside. When emergencies happen or people you love need you, set your lists aside. People are more important than lists.
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